A man accused of firing two shots at a Maryland State Trooper during a traffic stop earlier this year will head to Mental Health Court after a preliminary hearing Aug. 11 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland.
James faces charges of attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony or crime of violence, and intentionally causing physical injury to a law enforcement officer engaged in official duties.
Maurquise E. James, 23, is accused of the Feb. 24 shooting near the intersection of Milford Avenue and Belle Avenue in Baltimore.
James appeared in reception court for a preliminary hearing, where the court discussed his case and upcoming Mental Health Court appearance to decide if he can stand trial. To stand trial, a defendant must understand the charges against him and be able to help his lawyer. Defense attorney Karyn Meriwether appeared on his behalf.
According to court documents, the officer was conducting a traffic stop at approximately 3:23 a.m. when the driver of a silver Infiniti opened the driver’s door and allegedly fired two shots toward the trooper.
The trooper retreated for cover as the vehicle fled the area.
A 9mm cartridge casing was recovered near the scene and later submitted for ballistic testing. Investigators preliminarily connected the casing to a fatal shooting that occurred in Potomac, Maryland, approximately 10 days earlier.
The connection between the two cases helped investigators identify a person said to be James.
According to court documents, Montgomery County police were investigating the Feb. 14 homicide of an elderly nursing home resident in Potomac when investigators recognized the suspect vehicle and driver from footage connected to the Baltimore shooting.
A “Be on the Lookout,” BOLO flyer was created using body-worn camera footage from the Baltimore traffic stop. Montgomery County detectives later recognized the person depicted in the footage as a suspect in their homicide investigation.
Investigators compared photographs of James with the person captured on the trooper’s body-worn camera and determined they closely resembled one another.
Law enforcement later tracked James as he traveled from Baltimore County toward Montgomery County. Officers converged on him in Rockville, where he allegedly fled on foot before being taken into custody.
After his arrest, James agreed to speak with detectives after being advised of his Miranda rights. During the interview, he allegedly told investigators he had spent the entire night at his mother’s home and denied driving the Infiniti.
Investigators later confronted him with cellphone location data that they said contradicted his account. James then invoked his right to counsel, and the interview ended.
Police executed search warrants at two residences connected to James and allegedly recovered evidence investigators believe links him to the Potomac homicide.
A witness allegedly told police that James was driving the suspect vehicle during the Baltimore shooting and was seen being pulled over before fleeing the area.
The Maryland State Police previously said the trooper was treated at Shock Trauma after the shooting. He suffered a stippling injury pattern to his face consistent with being shot at close range.
During Tuesday’s proceeding, the court set the case to continue in Mental Health Court Nov. 18 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale Rasin, to decide next steps
